What Happened After Tron Had Left The System
by Astraica
Summary: What happens when Tron leaves the ENCOM System? Will things run smoothly? Or… Will things happen that require Yori's assistance to stop the world from falling into chaos? Part 5 of Yori's Story
1. Tron Leaves

_A/N: This is a series of dreams that I had that pieced this whole thing together. As a result this is long and will have chapters! Hope you enjoy! _

Chapter 1: Tron Leaves

High above a glowing land, a city seen in the distance, glistening like crystal, a pastel sheen coming off of every building that was lit bright with circuitry, a floating fortress sat. It was suspended via technology that the ENCOM System had known since its creation, yet no other building like it exists.

Within, two figures stand near giant arcs in the outer wall of the room made of tan marble, the glow of the city and the System itself casting light through upon them. Their expressions are ones of sadness, yet hope as they hold each other, for one of them was to leave, he held four squares in a "T" shape within a circle upon his chest for his symbol. His hair was standing straight up at the front, yet braided in the back. Both the braid and the spiked up hair were white, the rest was brown.

The woman who held him wore a beautiful white suit which sparkled with deep pink stars, a white long vest that reaches her feet with matching deep pink stars over her shoulders. Her hair was also braided, in a French braid, as the Users called it, and a light blonde. She looks up to him, love within her eyes as her processor pangs with pain. "I love you." She said with full emotion in her voice. He smiled down at her, his expression softening as love filled his gaze as well. "I love you too. I'll be back. I _promise_."

The woman nodded and rested her forehead upon his chest with a half-smile, knowing, once he made a promise, he would keep it, no matter the cost. He spoke again. "I'll come back for you when everything is safe in the new System. Don't worry." Reassuring words which played on her soul. She knew he meant it, and she beamed up at him and promptly stood on her toes to kiss him. He leaned into the kiss, realizing that this would be the last he would experience until he saw her again.

He deepened the kiss, taking in all of the feelings it arose within him feelings, feelings sent along his circuits at her touch, her scent, the feel of her form under his hands, and how their love seemed to sing and merge as one at such a simple touch. He understood well now why Users enjoyed such actions, though it was intimate enough that he would only share it with his Yori.

"Yori." He whispered her name, lovingly caressed upon his lips as he pulled back. Her glassy eyes met his, lips still parted as she regained control of her emotions. "Yes, my Tron?" She said with equal love in her voice.

"I'll miss you. I'll think of you every day, and watch our memories on my disk." He cupped the side of her face lovingly as her eyes welled with tears. "As will I!" She exclaimed and held him tight. He kissed the top of her head just as the beam of light at the front of the room lit brighter and a figure started to take form within it.

"It's time." Tron said gently as he held her hand as a figure stepped out of the light. "Tron!" Flynn grinned, a new suit upon his form. He held a black jacket with a white circuit upon one of the open sides, black pants, black shirt, and black boots that came halfway to his knee, they sported the only other circuitry upon this man, in a small line upon the sides. He held his hand out to Tron as he walked to them.

Tron obliged, giving one last loving look to Yori, who returned it with sadness tinting it, and turned to walk to Flynn. They clasped hands heartily and Flynn clasped him on the back as he led the Program to the beam of light. "It's gonna be amazing man! Just _wait_ 'till you see it! A brand new system, _full_ of possibilities!"

Tron nodded and smiled at his happy companion, Yori watched from the side, having not moved, knowing that if she did, she would cling to her bondmate and never let go. She had a duty to do within the System, a new one as well, now that her Tron would be gone. He had been a founding member on the council that was elected to lead the System after the defeat of the MCP. A small group of maybe 10 Programs or more held a position there with Dumont at its head. Though even his opinion could be out voted. Such was the nature of the council to avoid corruption, a repeat of the MCP. She would stand in her Tron's place upon that council now.

Her thoughts returned to her Tron just as Flynn stood Tron in front of the pillar of light, an energy, swirling, filled with motes of electricity all swirling yet going up. He turned to her then and smiled. She smiled back and rose her hand in farewell, he did the same and stepped into the beam.

Flynn looked to Yori then. "Don't worry Yori, I'll have him back in one piece in no time." He smiled to her, and, now that Tron had rose into the beam of light, stepped into the light himself and was gone.

Yori stood there for a moment, tears pricking her eyes as her heart crumpled. Then, she stood straight, she would be strong for her Tron, she would wait for him and help protect the System in his absence via her position on the council. She would be there when he returned.


	2. The Council

Chapter 2: The Council

As it would turn out, things didn't go quite according to plan after Tron had left. Yori would find her opinions upon the council to have little to no standing, as each member all but brushed them away or interrupted her with their own opinions. Only Dumont seemed to care, he spoke to Yori often and still held his opinion of her in the highest standards. She took refuge in his words.

Though it was hard work, she made more and more of an effort to be heard, gathering information, facts, bringing debates and subjects to the large oval table they sat around within the room that just fit it with enough room to walk around the chairs positioned around it. She was sat directly in front of the open space for the door at the side, Dumont at the head to her left, who sported his ridiculously huge hat from the I/O Tower, she had to giggle inwardly at it. Everyone had an equal viewing of the other there. She fight hard along side her work with Lora-Prime as the company continued work on digitizing objects and back again.

Though at this time, it wasn't enough to drain her, and she was still fresh at every council meeting. Things went on like this, until, one cycle a Program who had been slowly becoming corrupt held a debate as to how to manage the distribution of energy throughout the System. What he proposed, was similar to the MCP! And his argument made the council hungry for its stores.

Yori was _furious_! She immediately stood up after the council almost unanimously agreed to it, Dumont being the only other who stood against it, and shouted at all of them! "We _cannot_ do this! Don't you see? This is _exactly_ the same as when the MCP ruled! If we take away that much energy to the Programs, they won't be able to function! Do you want to see them become mindless beings, devoid of thought like the MCP had them?! I can't believe you would let this happen! Don't you remember what it was like, being starved for energy when you required it to merely function?! Don't you remember how it felt to be ruled by an iron hand? I can't let you do this! How would Tron and Flynn feel if they were to come back to a System run that way?!"

She had slammed her hands upon the table mid-way through her speech, all the while looking every one of them in the eye, her passion and fire bared for all to see. In the end, it was the mention of the MCP, Tron and Flynn that had pierced their hearts, and they all begrudgingly accepted that a compromise was in order. It also helped that Dumont himself had stood and spoke his agreement with Yori.

They spoke for milicycles about how much energy to store away and how much to give to the rest of the System. It was seen that the System would run much more efficiently if there wasn't an overabundance of energy going to all of the Programs and facilities that was within it… In the end, it was a much more reasonable amount agreed upon, however, Yori would have liked it to have been more to the Programs of the System.

YyYyY

After that, Yori was exempt from every council meeting, they continuously came up with little side projects for her to do during the time in which they were to be held. During one particular project, she was required to create User World skating. She wasn't sure how to go about it, but did her best. She hadn't put together what the council was doing yet, she trusted them fully and expected to be back for the next meeting, that is, until she began her work. She had created the arena and was beginning to work on the floor, having a bit of trouble creating a slippery surface and skates. She shook her head, knelt down in the centre of the arena and sighed. Her mind had wandered during her endeavours and she sat up, face turned to the sky. "They're never going to let me back, are they?" She asked herself aloud. She shook her head and closed her eyes.

She sat there for a moment, sadness overwhelming her, yet no tears pricked her eyes. She would have to find a way to get back onto the council. Surely mentioning that she knew of their plans was enough to get back on. She nodded to herself. She'd been through much worse, she wasn't a failure… She suspected that it was because the council members all seemed to be becoming corrupt, though it was small, she couldn't deny their reaction to an almost MCP decision. The only Program left who didn't seem to be corrupt was Dumont.

Her eyes opened at this and she looked around. She would finish this project and ask the council to let her back on, and fight them if they didn't. She was sure some would feel embarrassed at her having found out.

That solved, she put her hands on her legs and thought. How was she to create a slippery surface? Then, she remembered a similar User sport that would be easier to recreate. Roller skating! If she was to modify the wheels enough… She could create a blade-like feel to them, one singular row down the middle, it would be very similar! Quickly, she bent over once more and placed her hands on the ground. Golden light spread from her hands over the expense of the ground of the arena, and soon, a clear and flat floor appeared! She smiled, she knew what she had to do.

She walked to the "preparing room" as she called it, and started to create the skates that would be needed for this sport. It took a few tries, but finally, she had a pair of prismatic boots with one row of wheels. She tried them on… Time for a test run.

She immediately found that walking in such contraptions was very difficult, and had to hold onto everything, including the walls, to keep from falling over. She got to the arena without mishap however, and pushed herself onto the clear floor. And promptly fell on her butt.

She groaned at the impact, then giggled. She couldn't have expected this to be _easy_. So she wobbily got herself up and tried again. She had quite some time before she had to be at work, and the next council meeting wouldn't be for a few more cycles, so she practised. It took a lot of time and determination, but, eventually, she got the hang of it. It wasn't like the videos she had seen via her searches, she wasn't a professional by a long stretch, but she was able to glide gracefully across the arena's floor without falling down.

It would take a few more cycles for her to learn how to skate backwards, and even more to jump, but she managed it! And by that time, she had confronted the council. They all looked equally ashamed as she walked into the next meeting, having had a conversation with Dumont before, who had been proud of her coming forward and told her to be present. Each of the council members had received word that she would be attending, and they had no arguments as to her being there. She had stated clearly to Dumont that she was there in her Tron's place, her presence was crucial to the protection and well-being of the System. The council meeting went without a hitch.

YyYyY

Though she was back on the council, she still had a duty to the people of the System, and the council put her on little projects to help lift their spirits in Flynn and Tron's absence as a result of that. They figured it was the most she could do, as she was a designer-coordinator Program and had no use in any other field, her constructs were enough and she happily created for them.

One of these projects was a park, filled with beautiful flowers of her own creation and stars that danced over the Program's heads. These stars travelled in a set path, as she couldn't figure out how to randomize the pattern travelled by her simulations. She worked hard on this project, all of her free time was put into it, and it only saddened her further. At the very beginning of the project she had thought of what she would want to show her Tron, something that would blow him away, and, the sentiment of their bonding was brought forth to her mind. She would give him stars, just like he had wanted to give to her. Though they would likely only be seen by the Programs left in the ENCOM System for quite some time, she had hoped one cycle he would see them.

Her heart grew heavy with each new creation, a bright pink and glowing "flower" here, a glowing green "bush" there, and, most of all, the stars, she created those last. Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she prepared the code and her function to create bunches of them with her hands, spreading them so that they would be touchable by any Program walking through the "garden". The pathway through it was winding and about four or five people thick, the park itself was fairly large and oval.

_(For the way the bushes and flowers look, think the "bushes" that Yori had created it the deleted scene, only it's a solid colour and see-through, not a line but they glow just like it!)_

She smiled once she was done, lowering hands and admiring her work. There would be fireworks during it's opening, the event with which she had created it for. She stood there for a moment, happy with her work, though sad… She would have to ask Dumont if she could skip the event. She didn't know if her heart could handle it.

Turning, she headed back to talk to Dumont, a conversation that went well, but her presence was required at the event due to both it being her creation and her position upon the council. She went home with a sigh and prepared.

The opening of the park was a hit! So many Programs came to see her work of "User World-like environment". The fireworks went off in a brilliant myriad of colours, Programs walked the path, reaching out to the "foliage" and stars. Dumont was pleased. He stood at the head of the park awaiting Yori who came fashionably late. She hoped her presence wouldn't be noticed, however, she dressed in a white suit with "legwarmers" showing her deep pink circuitry and a long vest with deep pink "stars". She was a sight to behold, her hair let free and waving around her face, the true image of the artistic Program she was.

Dumont smiled as she neared, staff in hand, and reached out for her hand, she took it with her free hand and smiled, stepping up beside him and into the park. "What a beautiful garden Yori! The Programs love it! You've outdone yourself!" He beamed at her, his hand travelling to her back comfortingly for a moment. He wore his normal robes and a small cap upon his head, all glowing brightly with blue circuitry, just like she had first seen him on the day of her creation.

"Thank you." She said modestly with a small smile, looking to him and then around at the Programs walking the paths, taking in their reactions and how her simulations were holding up. To be honest however, her heart fell with each moment, it had started to the moment she could see it in arriving there. She wished desperately to leave, only her Tron filled her mind and it broke her heart that he wasn't here to see it.

Dumont, noticing her expression, had them walk for a little longer. "It's lovely, no Program could have created finer." He praised her conversationally. She merely nodded and continued walking with him, until finally deciding she had been there long enough. Turning, he took her hands within his, which was a bit hard with the staff in her right hand, and spoke to her. "It's been long enough. You can go home now." He smiled comfortingly at her and gave her a hug when she smiled sadly and nodded.

"Thank you." She said, relieved, and immediately headed home. She never revisited that park again.


	3. Yori in the User World

Chapter 3: Yori in the User World

Time passes on and Yori pours herself more and more into her work. She was starting to get tired, her energy running low by the time she got home to have her energy. She was working on something special, something that would possibly help her find her Tron. She went into her sleepcycle exhausted. Next cycle was it, she would find him. That was her hope.

Time had eaten away at her, it had been ages since Tron had left, and never returned. Each passing cycle brought her more pain as she faced the council and helped the people. She would put her and Lora-Prime's work to use. It was time.

The next cycle found herself at work, she rezzed objects in and out of the System and worked alongside Lora-Prime. The room she was in held a triangle door to the side, the rezzing station to the back and her terminal at the front (the right of the door). She worked with two other Programs within this room, while the rest of the building worked with them to do Lora-Prime's work. It always excited her, how smart her User was and what she would do with said items! But she was even more excited, and nervous about after her work period.

After everyone had left the building, Yori stayed behind to make some last adjustments and check the building over. Finally, she was alone.

She stepped into the room she worked from, and turned everything on. She could do this alone. Using her function, her hands glowed golden while she worked the controls laid before her. Soon, a blue light like the one Flynn and Tron and disappeared through rezzed down to the pad where Lora-Prime's items rezzed into the System and back.

Yori stepped in.

Instantly her world was overcome with colour and light! Various images and even the sight of her own world, now circular in her eyes, came into view! It was _amazing_! She had never seen anything like it!

Before she could blink, she was in the User World, inside a room filled with many pipes. She looked around curiously. Everything looked so _different_! There were no glowing lights! There were no… She looked at herself. Her clothes had changed! And not a single circuit could be seen! She checked her bare arms. Nothing! She was stunned! But that didn't deter her from her goal.

Now sporting blue jeans, white runners with a wedge heel, white tank top and pink long vest, she headed out of the lab.

_This is so different!_ She thought as she walked through the hallways, immediately noticing the difference in how she "felt". Before, she was connected with the System, like every Program. She could feel it, it's commands and prompts, it's how she worked with Lora-Prime, she could literally feel when she called her to work.

Here… Things felt… Different. She got the feeling of a much darker place, yet it seemed light enough, the people felt different too… She was a bit uncomfortable, but at least none seemed to harbour ill-will. She continued on… Until she bumped into a late night security officer.

"Lora! I didn't know you were here this late!" The man smiled and tipped his hat. "Still working on your projects?"

Yori felt comfortable with this man and smiled easily back, though she almost froze, she hated lying… _Lora… That must be how they refer to Lora-Prime here…_ She thought as she nodded to the man. "Yeah, you could say that." She held good-natured laughter in her voice and turned to leave. "It was nice talking with you!" She waved.

He seemed a bit confused at her treatment of him, but he simply tipped his hat to her and slowly moved along.

Yori on the other hand went straight for the door. Once outside she was daunted! Where was she to go? _Who was she to ask? Best not to talk to anyone if I don't have to. _She thought as she knew that any slip-up could mean her never getting back to the System. Though she had been studying the Users extra for this mission, she was still at a total loss on how everything worked and the jargon and terminology was still far from being complete in her mind.

She wandered the night's streets, looking inside every dark window, stretching out her sense of "feeling" to see if she could find the computer which held Tron… It seemed impossible. Her heart plummeted.

Her adventure took her to a grocery store far from ENCOM and she looked around, now, hungry? _This is so different from needing energy…_ She thought as she browsed the shelves. She soon came across some oranges and her face lit up! _So this is where Lora-Prime got her orange!_ She lifted one up to her face and studied it. It was exactly the same as the one Lora-Prime had rezzed into the System. Soon, a man came up to her, and she flinched, almost dropping the orange. He did not have a good feeling.

"You gonna pay for that sweetie?" He seemed to glower at her, eyeing her warily.

Yori looked to him a bit frightened. She didn't know how well this man could fight, and she wasn't about to find out. "I, I have no money." She stammered and tried to get away from him.

"Then GET OUT!" He yelled and moved towards her.

She ran for the door just as he came up behind the counter and pulled out a phone. _Likely dialing the police._ She thought as she ran. She didn't know much about how they worked, just that they were like the guards of the ENCOM System.

She ran until she couldn't any more, and soon… The sun rose! She looked to it with amazement! She had never seen a sunrise before! She had seen images, but this! She closed her eyes and turned fully to it, soaking in its warmth. She had been so cold.

She walked on, and soon found herself near a familiar name upon a sign, it read: Flynn's Arcade. She was curious! So she went in. It was early in the morning at this time, so Flynn himself wasn't there, but she had hoped…

She looked around, all of the arcade games around her made her intrigued but also a bit nervous. She remembered the MCP's rule… Though she knew that the games were safe now, for fun against the Users, and each other. She wondered how each Program was doing and feeling in the games the children played.

Children… She had never seen a child before save in the images she had brought up in her recent searches. She smiled and studied them. They were little miracles. The result of two Users coming together. Though… She blushed, she had only recently found out how. Such a thing wasn't possible with her people.

After a while of searching the whole place over, that she was allowed in, she left, disheartened. She had found nothing, no hints as to where Flynn had taken Tron. She frowned and continued her search.

By now, she was really hungry, and her body did something she had never experienced before. It _growled!_ She held her stomach in embarrassment. She wondered when she would find some User food to sate her hunger.

It was by this time that she realized that she was fully User, or Human, as she had read, though she still possessed the ability to connect with the energy of this world. It confused her a bit. Was that her code and energy that was stored within her so that she could return to her own world? She thought about physics and string theory and more as she walked along, hope beginning to fade.

She kept coming back to that arcade, it was like a beacon of some kind which drew her to it, but, she knew better than to go in.

YyYyY

Far away at ENCOM Lora bumps into the security guard who had met Yori. It was very early in the morning, he was to end his shift a half an hour after Lora and Alan came in to work, he gave her a smile and a nod. "Got home ok last night?" He said.

She frowned and gave him a confused look. "I was off early last night, Alan picked me up. I never saw you." She looked up to her husband, who returned her confused expression.

The guard looked surprised. "But I saw you come out from the lab. You looked a bit lost, I thought you were tired. You left without Alan, I saw you."

Alan looked even more confused and kept his eyes on his wife, knowing full-well that she had been with him the whole night. Lora on the other hand, looked fearful. "Oh no." Dread filled her voice. _Maybe Flynn's crazy story wasn't so crazy after all._ She thought as she grabbed the guard's arms desperately. "What way did I go?"

He looked even more surprised and pointed to his left. "That way." He gave her a confused look. "Don't you know which way you went?"

She shook her head. "I'm calling in sick, Alan too! Don't worry about me!" She called as she grabbed Alan's arm and ran for their van.

"Where are we going?" Alan protested but came along willingly.

"We're out to find my Program, Yori." Her voice was dead serious and a bit over-protective.

Alan gaped at her. "That Program's on the computer in the lab. How can you find it?"

Lora opened the driver's door to the van and got in. "She. She'll look just like me. You can't miss her." She looked to Alan once he got in. "Remember that crazy dream Flynn told us about?"

Alan laughed. "That was just a dream, it can't be real honey." He smiled at her. Sometimes he admired her creativeness.

Lora gave him the glare of death and he shut his mouth, which went immediately into a frown. "You're serious… But _how_?" He looked at her incredulously.

She shook her head and pulled out onto the street. "I have a feeling. Call it woman's intuition. God, I hope we find her."

Alan shook his head and quietly stared out the window, keeping watch for his wife. He _still_ didn't believe it.

YyYyY

It was a long time since Yori had started her search now, and she was tired and hungry. She stumbled up to Flynn's arcade now, it must have been midday, early afternoon, she wasn't sure, she didn't know the time, which, if her calculations were right, would pass by much faster than home.

She sighed, that's when a van screeched to a halt beside her! She looked up, fearful, until she saw who got out! "Alan-One!" She exclaimed happily. She knew because the feeling he gave off didn't match her Tron's. _Maybe I have a chance at finding Tron now!_ She thought as the thought of safety also enveloped her at the next person coming around the furthest side of the van! "Lora-Prime!" Her eyes lit like stars, her User! The one she had worshipped and worked with all her runtime! She ran to her.

Alan had stopped at the name and began to say. "That's my username." But Lora with a look of a mother reunited with her lost child had come up and grabbed her Program's hands. "Thank God we found you! Why did you leave the system?!" She exclaimed with worry.

Yori looked whipped and turned her gaze to their clasped hands. "I wanted to find my Tron." She all but whispered.

Both Alan and Lora's expressions turned shocked! They looked to each other knowing, without a doubt, that their Programs had been together inside the ENCOM System. How that world really did reflect the one they lived in. They looked at each other a moment before Lora's eyes became soft. "You miss him, don't you?"

Yori could only nod.

Lora shook her head and turned her Program's face up to look at her. "We'll help you find him. But not until after we get you back to the ENCOM System."

Yori looked hopeful at first, her eyes bright until she realized her duty at the mention of going home. She nodded. "I understand." Just then, her stomach rumbled. She blushed.

"You're hungry?" Lora ask carefully, a bit shocked. It was hard seeing that hope and then see it die within eyes that matched her own.

Yori nodded and met her eyes. "You're a genius Lora-Prime! Your theories and algorithms worked! I'm fully User!" She paused. "Human!"

Lora looked at her incredulously. It had worked… On a _Program_! What that could _mean_! She shook her head, priorities, she had to get this Program some food and some answers out of her, then, back to the System.

She smiled and nodded. "Of course, with your help." She held a smile in her voice.

Alan looked from the two of them unbelieving. How could a _Program_, be _human_? It simply wasn't heard of! He still saw this "copy" of his wife as bits of code stringed together. He ran a hand through his hair and pulled the side door open so Yori could climb in the second row of seats behind him. "You better get in."

Yori nodded and climbed in, putting the seat-belt around her. It wasn't something that was common in the System, but she had read about it in cars in the User World.

Lora watched then went to her husband and held his arm. "We can't let her loose again. This is _real_, we have to deal with the consequences." She whispered to him with urgency.

He nodded seriously and pecked her on the cheek. "We'll get this sorted out." He said before they both got into the van.

It was a short drive to ENCOM, but Lora had made sure to make the ride educational. "Tron's the Program that Flynn took to his secret system, isn't he?" She asked, wanting to get as much information from Yori as she could.

Yori nodded. "Yes, he left over one hundred cycles ago… I miss him dearly." She held sadness in her tone.

Alan shook his head. "So that's what Flynn meant when he said he couldn't keep you two apart for long when he asked us if he could take you two to his system."

Yori looked up at him at that. "He asked for me?" She could barely believe it! But she knew, she was needed for Lora-Prime's work.

"Yes." Lora said with a nod. "I told him to wait until I was done with my work. I didn't think about what he meant… I'm sorry." She sounded sad at the last, and looked up at Yori via the rear view mirror.

Yori brightened. "Thank you. I know you needed me, so I stayed behind willingly."

By this time they had arrived at ENCOM and all got out of the van. It was a quick trek to the secluded break room Lora and Alan knew of and Lora quickly got a hot chocolate ready for her Program.

Yori looked about, feeling a bit more at home, but it still seemed a bit different to her. She sat at the table in the eating area and watched Lora-Prime and Alan-One as they worked. Alan-One got her a sandwich, she wasn't quite sure what to do with it. When Lora-Prime put the steaming cup of delicious smelling liquid before her, her eyes widened and she gingerly grabbed the cup. "It's warm!" She beamed up at Lora-Prime.

Lora smiled and nodded, gesturing for her to try it as she took a seat to the side of her. Yori had been at the end of the table, so Lora sat to the side on her right.

Yori lifted the cup to her lips and took a sip. Her eyes widened as a bright smile spread over her lips. "This is delicious! What is it?" She asked curiously. She had never tried anything like it before! It was sweet, like energy, but moreso, and _warm_, and had a flavour unlike any she had tried before!

Lora smiled and laughed. "It's hot chocolate. I thought you'd like it."

Yori beamed at her User. "Thank you!"

Alan watched the Program as she finished her hot chocolate, unsure of what to make of her still. Yori was wary of him, feeling that very thing from him, whereas Lora seemed to genuinely care and had accepted her.

Once Yori was done, she gingerly picked up the sandwich and turned it this way and that. "What is this?" She asked.

Lora fussed over her like a mother would her child. "It's a sandwich, you eat it by biting into it, like this." Lora picked up her own sandwich and bit into it, chewing slowly to show her Program how to eat, then swallowed.

Yori eyed her curiously, then, with extreme concentration, took a bite. Her eyes widened as she chewed and swallowed. "It's good! But…" She made a face. "I think I like the hot chocolate better." She wasn't used to the texture of food.

Alan took no offence and laughed. Of course. His eyes glittered at his wife. "She does too."

Lora's eyes sparkled as she batted at him. "You!" He laughed more, love clearly in both of their voices.

Yori watched their exchanges longingly, her sandwich slowly lowering to its wrapper. They were so like her and Tron.

Lora and Alan stopped then, noticing the longing look in the Program's eyes. "Oh, oh sweetie, I'm sorry." Lora fussed as she sat back beside her Program and touched her arm comfortingly.

Yori shook her head with a smile. "It's ok. You're both a lot like Tron and I." She smiled to Alan too then.

He seemed a bit miffed, but also caring as he empathized with her. If he were to be apart from his wife, he didn't know what he'd do. His eyes went to the woman in question. They locked eyes for a moment.

Yori went back to her sandwich, feeling a bit awkward, she didn't want to cause a rift between them! Especially not when they were so like her Tron and her!

She finished and Alan gestured to the room in the back. It held a single door flanked by windows on the upper part of the walls beside it, it held a table with comfy office chairs around it. They all went in and sat down, Yori again at the end, Lora on the right of her, though closer to her husband, and Alan at the head.

"So." Alan started. "How did you get here?"

Yori nodded and clasped her hands before her. "After work for the cycle, I stayed behind after all of the Programs in my sector had went home… I had been working on this for a few cycles, studying Users and making it possible for me to use the digitization process once. I had to use all of my functions to do it…" She looked to the side, remembering the beam of light both when her Tron and Flynn and left, and when she had stepped into her own. "The beam of light that usually transports the User objects into our system is much different than the one I created to exit it, it was more like the one Flynn had created at the Council's Fortress."

Alan and Lora looked to each other at that. "Flynn had created a digitization sector in the system? And a fortress?" Lora questioned.

Yori nodded. "Yes."

Lora and Alan exchanged looks once more and Alan pressed on. "Did Flynn say anything about where he took Tron?"

Yori shook her head. "No. Just that it was, a brand new system, that was full of possibilities."

Alan nodded. "Well, we don't have much to go on, Flynn never told us anything either. The most he told us about _you_ was that he had a weird dream." He raked a hand through his hair.

Yori nodded glumly.

"But that doesn't mean we won't try." Lora interjected with care in her voice.

Yori smiled at that. "Thank you, Lora-Prime and Alan-One. I-We all owe you our lives in the System! I won't let you down again!"

Lora smiled then and shook her head. "You haven't failed us. It's us who have failed _you_."

Yori waved her hands before her frantically. "Oh! No, no, you couldn't have! You're Users!" Though… A nagging voice pulled at Yori's mind as she thought about Flynn, and what he had said on her Solar Sailer during their adventure to save the System from the MCP. Things with Users… Were much the same as for Programs.

Lora shook her head. "We didn't know you were alive." She walked over to her Program and grabbed her hand. "We _won't_ fail you again." Her motherly side was showing.

Yori's eyes widened and she nodded, a weak, "Thank you." Was all she could muster.

"Come on." Alan said gently as he got up. "It's time to go back."

Yori nodded as Lora looked up to him, love in her eyes and got up to leave the room.

Soon, Yori was before the same digitization laser that brought her to this world, and, with a bit of programming, Lora was able to get her to the system again without having to write a new Program.

Once home, Yori took some extra energy and went straight to bed.


	4. The Children

Chapter 4. The Children

Though Yori had never found her Tron, she found herself far more hopeful than she had been before her adventure into the User World. She fully trusted Lora-Prime and Alan-One to find her Tron, and, now that she had looked for him herself, her conscience was clear as she returned to her work ten-fold.

She found her next few cycles spending all of her free time designing. She took her knowledge of the User World and put it to use, wanting to give the Programs of the System a taste of what she had known when she had visited the world of their Users.

At first it was easy, the basic shapes proved to be less of a hassle, but the textures, the colours, re-creating with painstaking detail the leaves on the trees, the singular blades of grass, each petal on a flower, the dirt for roads, she felt overwhelmed! And then, the randomization! She just couldn't figure it out! She finally gave in and simply had everything "wave" as though in a wind, in a specified pattern.

It took her many cycles to complete, but when she had, she called the help of her co-workers and set her plan in motion.

It didn't take much to get the council to agree to it, she would only re-do the area below the floating fortress at first. Not even a road would be done, it would be a vast field of green with flowers dancing here and there, trees would outline the clearing. It took a lot of work flattening out the area and then putting her simulations down, but when she and her co-workers were done, it was beautiful. It didn't even seem to matter that thins flowed to a pattern, it was simply astounding, unlike anything the Programs knew!

They smiled and clasped hands and cheered once it was done! If the Programs of the ENCOM System had an interest for studying the Users, they could come here! Surely it would be enough!

Yori was happy.

YyYy

Sometime after, Programs around the System were heard to have studied more about the Users, finding rare and hidden, even restricted files from the internet that connected to the System. Of course, there were many who didn't wish to know about the Users and kept their opinions quiet for the time being… That is, until the first woman became pregnant.

Yori was so surprised! She went immediately to see her and her husband when she heard of it! It wasn't apparent until the woman's stomach was decidedly swollen, and Yori had been called upon for aid. They had no idea what had happened to her!

Yori had to explain to the couple that this was the result of _Users_ making love _their_ way… She had no idea it could happen to them! But it was apparent. The first child would be born soon.

At once Yori put herself to work once more, the Programs curious about the User ways had asked her for a safe haven away from the city, so, Yori studied up on User buildings.

It took some time, but she finally found some designs she liked, something peaceful, of a time long gone in the User World, perhaps 100 of their years ago, and set to work.

She first created the dirt road, and then, the houses. Now they were easy, with the help of her co-workers and building Programs who had built the city from the ground up. She provided the look, simulations, and textures, they provided the structures. Soon, a quaint little town was erected just a bit outside the city with a dirt road leading to it. Grass and trees dotted along the houses and roads, and connected to the area Yori and her co-workers had created not too long before. It was a truly peaceful place.

Immediately Programs moved in, the pregnant couple being the first. Their house was the closest to the floating fortress, a fact that Yori was happy for as she could get there faster if they needed her.

The birth was a miracle! Yori had rushed from her council meeting to be there once it was announced! The whole village gathered for the event, and when she arrived, seeing the mother holding her newborn son, they had asked everyone to help name him! They chose Devon after a long debate amongst themselves, opting for a User name, as he was born similarly to a User, and the whole town had opted to help raise him.

YyYy

Over the next few cycles Yori poured herself into User customs and how to raise children, the small village had proved to have a few more pregnant women, and they decided to band together ever few cycles to share what they've learned, their experiences, and to let the little ones play together, once they were born. They really had no idea what they were doing, and wanted to give their children the best they could give.

Not even until the first meeting a newborn was born! A little girl, who was named by her parents. Yori had been present for that as well and was so enraptured by the little ones! She started calling them Little Miracles and quickly took a fondness for helping the families with them. The first time she got to hold such a little bundle of life and joy, her heart was stolen. Her mind solely for the little miracle in her arms. What a wonderful gift that was bestowed upon them!

Their first meeting went well, it was a happy time with mothers and fathers sitting on blankets that Yori had made, on the grassy area she had created before, under the floating fortress. They talked and shared stories and visited. The babies were still too young to play, but they seemed to enjoy each other's company. It seemed they did well with energy serves to them in little bottles Yori had given them shortly before their births, she had made them while the first mother was pregnant and worried that they would work well. The little ones seemed to be thriving however.

After, Yori went home and researched some more, finally collapsing on her couch with a glass of energy… Her mind wandered. She imagined having a little boy, just like the first born, with her Tron, and how he would react with joy at seeing something so wonderful be created by the two of them, and a part of the both of them. She imagined how he would be as a father, watching him carry the little boy upon his shoulders, seeing him teach him how to throw his disk, maybe about 6 human years of age… Time travelled differently for them, she wondered how much faster the little ones would grow… Her mind turned back to her Tron, seeing his happy smile and the family they would create, the little one following in his father's footsteps and becoming a System Monitor, though he would have some of her creativity and would create many great simulations and things. Her eyes teared over, the joy of such an image filling her, and the sadness of how long she would have to wait to find out if her Tron would even want it. She was almost certain he would.

YyYy

Things changed drastically in the System after that, more and more Programs were having babies, and soon, their little meetings were filled with little ones! The parents happy as their kids grew, much faster in comparison to User children, Yori found, yet not as fast as they could have.

One such meeting turned into a picnic! The parents wanting to give their children the most User-like childhood they could, all pitched in to try to make food out of energy! Yori made the most but… It didn't turn out so well. They simply couldn't figure out the textures or tastes, and really, it was something only a User could manipulate to make. They soon discarded their poor attempts at User food and decided to stick to regular energy from then on.

A later time, Yori decided to surprise the little ones with a book! She poured over it for milicycles, trying to re-create User pages. She finally settled on thick opaque, glowing white pages with images she had created herself upon each side, words either below or above them. It was a hit! The little ones quickly gathered around and on her lap as she held the book for all to see. She read it out loud to them with the best storytelling voice she had, making up voices for each character while the doting parents watched on with smiles.

Life was good.

It was the next meeting that had Yori surprised! She had been instructed to do nothing, and to come later than normal, usually she was one of the first ones there. She shrugged it off curiously and went… What met her when she arrived was astounding! All of the parents had gathered to thank her! They each had little party hats and confetti flew through the air when she stepped up to them, the little children cheering.

She wiped away a tear and hugged the first born's mother, who promptly told her she wanted Yori to be her child's godmother! Yori was floored! She never thought such an honour would be bestowed her, she accepted tearfully and with another hug.

She decided to have a special surprise for the children on what would be her last attempt to gift them with something during their picnics. A kite! She worked many milicycles trying to perfect it before the picnic, but getting a randomized pattern to work stumped her. With each try she became more and more frustrated, and it became smaller and smaller as a result of her depleting energy. Finally, now very late, she let the last of her attempts complete, the kite now only two feet in diameter and the tail as long as her.

She grabbed it up and ran to the picnic where the others were waiting for her. She smiled and hid the kite behind her back as she approached the children, the firstborn now being about 5 or 6 years User age in appearance. She smiled and held out a hand with her index finger pointed towards them. "Now, if you're good, I can let you play with a special toy I made!" She teased them.

The eldest jumped up and down and exclaimed. "Show us! Show us!" While the others chimed in.

Yori giggled and brought her hand around from behind her back, displaying the completed blue kite! The children ooo'ed and ah'ed and reached out for it, she let the first one to reach out take it for a spin! They held tightly onto the glowing string Yori had created as she let go of the kite and it flew in the air! It was only a few feet above the regular Programs' heads, but it was enough to send the children into a happy, excited mood as they chased after it! They didn't seem to notice or mind that it was on a set pattern flight.

One of the mothers came up to Yori and smiled. "You've outdone yourself with this one. They won't stop talking about it for cycles!" She laughed.

Yori could only laugh happily back. "I'm so glad they enjoy it!" Light and a familial love for the children lighting her eyes.

The woman noticed and her expression turned softer. "You know, you look a lot more alive than you have ever since Tron left. The children really bring you light." Bring you light. Those words resounded within Yori's mind as she looked back to the kind woman. Those three words meant a lot to Programs. Their whole world and lives revolved around light. To have light meant to be alive and thriving, working properly and happy. To be dim or have little light, a Program with dim circuits meant they were low on energy and/or would die soon. A sector with no or little light meant it wouldn't have the energy to work properly and the Programs wouldn't be able to work with it nor supply it with the energy it needed. It was effectively dead. So to have light, meant much more than just health, it meant alive, it meant happy, and so much more.

Yori's smile faded a bit, remembering how she was, and nodded. "They truly have. Thank you."

The woman smiled gently back. "I'm not the only one who's noticed." And she pointed to all of the parents around the picnic area who all turned to nod at her, having overheard.

Yori's eyes pricked with tears. Never in her runtime did she think she would be so accepted by others, only her Tron and Dumont ever came this close, though they were much closer still, and Tron by far even closer, the closest one would get, it truly humbled her as she smiled through her tears and nodded back.

A little later, Yori found herself standing in the clearing watching the families as they ate and played, all smiles and laughter. She was so lost in her own little world, that she didn't notice the little footsteps that sounded from behind her. A small hand placed itself within hers in a "touch" and she instantly jolted, eyes wide! The feeling that transmitted was pure, curious, expecting, and innocent, not like her Tron's, which is why it surprised her so much. A childlike feeling of love spread through her and she received a flicker of surprise just before the hand jolted away.

She stood there a moment as the first born, Devon, looked dismayed and shocked. "I saw mommy and daddy do it." He murmured, wondering why the feeling wasn't as nice as it must have been for them, from the looks on their faces when he saw them do it.

Before Yori could respond, the boy's mother yelled out in fear as she ran to her son. "Oh Users! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry Yori!" She stammered and took her son's hand. The boy only looked up to his mother and protested. Yori only shook her head with a comforting smile. "It's alright, it's alright." She comforted. "He didn't understand what he was doing."

The mother only looked to her incredulously, then relieved. Any of the other council members would have surely hit or scolded the boy and her for not teaching him sooner. But Yori, she was kind and loving and understanding. She understood the situation and didn't fly off the handle, she didn't see her position as something to hold over anyone else. She nodded and took the boy aside to explain to him the nature of "touches", why they are used, when, and under what circumstances. It was a lengthy talk as the solemn boy nodded and wiped his eyes. He hadn't meant to make his godmother feel like that.

After, the whole group of parents gathered while their children played as they discussed what age to tell their children about such things. Yori was a part of the group and they talked for quite some time as a decision was made. They had a huge problem on their hands, and they meant to stop it before someone _did_ become offended or the children tried it on one of the others unknowingly.

_A/N: __The children were much easier to take care of than User children, as Programs don't go to the bathroom or throw up._


	5. The Riot

Chapter 5: The Riot

Everything seemed to be going well within the System and she smiled as she walked down the hall towards the council chamber. Her memories of before she had left for the User World seemed so long, of when she would walk slowly down these halls, thoughts only of Tron within her mind, reaching out to him, trying to feel him, and remembering how he felt and his arms around her. She would turn her face up to the heavens and close her eyes, a painful, broken cry resounding within her soul toward her Tron, speaking of how much she missed him. She would open her eyes then, and continue on… Now, she smiled and almost skipped down the hallway, hope of this bright future within her mind, and of how her Tron would react to it.

She was almost to the council chamber when a particularly tall and lanky male Program with brown hair approached her. He was one of the members on the council, but she suddenly felt uncomfortable, why was soon revealed.

"Hello, Yori." He grinned. "I was wondering, with Tron being gone for so long, I hardly doubt he'll ever come back. How would you like to fill such emptiness with me?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

She was instantly repulsed.

Never before had anyone had the audacity to ask something like this from her when they _knew_ her standing with her bondmate. They could never understand how outcast she had felt for so long, until he came. She did have a life, yes, she went to clubs and danced and knew how to have fun, but he was the only one she had let touch her, in both of the senses. He was the only one would could understand her and share a love that was equal in every way. No-one else was meant for her, she believed in having a "one". This slime bag clearly couldn't even begin to touch upon such an intimate relationship. And with what she felt of him, he only wanted "a good time." She suspected he liked her for her unique status and function.

She didn't even turn to him fully to answer. "I will _never_ be with anyone but my Tron." She spat forcefully and turned to enter the council chamber.

He gave a her a glare behind her back and proceeded in.

She wouldn't know until later that he would be persistent, something she came to fear. He was the better fighter, she wouldn't stand against him if he decided to derez her for her decision.

Now, one thing that needs to be understood about Programs is, there is no rape. It's absolutely impossible as even the slightest touch transmits feelings/emotions, and either side can transmit whenever they want if a touch is initiated, becoming a "touch", therefore ruining the experience for the would be predator. No-one even knew of the term, even after searching through User files, as it simply wasn't something they would have any inkling on, it simply wasn't done, "touching" someone without their consent, or touching them inappropriately without their consent.

This being however, didn't deter him from brushing his hand along her arm, or touching her waist as he passed her, little touches that transmitted nothing from him, and went by quickly enough that he only felt her growing hatred and uncomfortableness from his touches, along with that _unwanted_ feeling. It only made him try harder.

One such event led to him cornering her against the wall just outside of the council chamber as she left, being the last one out, she was an easy target, though she had tried to leave sooner.

Fear gripped her and she shoved him away when he leaned in to whisper in her ear. She transmitted all of her repulsion as she did so, hoping he would get the hint! But he wouldn't, until next time.

She was just sitting down to the next council meeting, there were a few Programs in the room, some were still coming in, and then, that Program reached out and "touched" her bondmark!

She reeled back with a hiss! It hurt as though he had _burned_ her! A violation she hadn't _ever_ felt in her runtime! He recoiled as well in shock, and she _glared_ at him! This was the end of her string. Gone was her fear! She was going to make _sure_ he knew her standing, once and for all!

She reeled in all of her courage, uncaring of the consequences and BLASTED him! "HOW _DARE_ YOU!" She yelled, every council member turning to them, the nearest already had their eyes upon them, having "felt" a portion of her feelings. "How _dare_ you touch me when I am bonded to Tron! You think you feel my repulsion now? You have _no_ idea how I've longed for someone like Tron to share my love and feelings with _equal_ strength! How I've always believed in having a "one"! And how _dare_ you touch me when you _know_ I have rejected you _every time_ you have tried! How _unwelcome_ each advance you have put on me was! You are supposed to be one of the leading examples for Programs within this System, and yet you attempt a crime that is _unheard_ of it is so forbidden! NEVER TOUCH ME AGAIN!" She finished as she forcefully jarred herself away from him within her seat.

The rest of the council watched on with surprise at her bravery and boldness and anger at the one who had caused it. He himself looked ashamed and took his seat far from her, leaving the one he had sat himself in right beside her. He never touched or approached her again.

YyYy

This courage and boldness was to come in handy, for the cycles to come brought an uproar within the city. Those Programs who held the old way of thinking, that the Users and their ways were to remain unknown and they were to worship them and follow their commands only, had revolted against the children. They could handle the other Programs researching the Users, even practising their ways, and, their more intimate acts. But the children, they were seen as abominations! They shouldn't exist! It was meant only for the Users! They were to be derezzed!

At first, the council didn't see anything wrong with it and merely let the guards handle it. Yori however, felt the need for more guards and laws to be passed to protect the young Programs from the small riots that had developed.

Slurs and name-calling found its way to the System, Programs became increasingly more hostile than they had ever been before, against one another. Yori feared for the young ones, but she also feared for all Programs.

Her time off work became filled with writing laws and arguments to present to the council and watching the city via the recorders Tron had placed throughout it. She quickly learned how to operate his equipment which was within her home, and kept constant watch whenever she could. But nothing could have prepared her for what was to happen next.

She was at a council meeting, the light from the city shining in through the hall via the large widows posted throughout, when it happened. BOOM! The explosion filled the floating fortress with a resounding sound, all council members reacting immediately. Some hid beneath the table, some stood at attention, Dumont was among them. Yori however, stood and bolted for the window at the end of the hall which branched out on both sides.

Eyes wide, she observed the smoke coming from the closest house to the fortress. Fear gripped her and she instantly jumped onto the window's ledge and jumped, rezzing her staff within her hand as she fell!

Once on the ground she didn't waste a beat, she ran for the small town outside the city, heading straight for the house which bellowed smoke. In the distance, she could hear fighting and shouting! A riot had started with many city Programs trying to subdue the town Programs!

She ran up to the house, the blue eyes and brown hair of the first born the first thing she saw, he was standing by his mother, who held a small, black-haired crying bundle in her arms, her hair matched her mother's, as the boy's eyes did. Both he and she were crying as well, all three sobs resounding as Yori's heart fell. She stopped by them and gingerly reached out, though not touching any of them. "Are you alright?"

The woman only cried harder. Yori knew what this meant. The father had died protecting the first born, his son. The attack was meant for them specifically! Anger took hold and she gripped her staff as she took off in a run for the front of the town.

There she stood in the middle of the road as chaos erupted around her. She pointed the Programs fighting back and ordered in a commanding voice. "Fight back! Round up those rioters and get them out of the town! You two! Help them put out the fire! Everyone! Band together!"

The Programs of the town nodded and immediately rushed to do her requests. With that done, she stood before the rest of the rioters shouting at the town Programs and threw her staff down to the ground! An energy shield erupted from it to cover the entire town, her circuitry glowing bright pink upon her arms. This shield was something she had designed herself, as with the staff, the staff worked off of her energy while erecting a barrier that would keep all out that she deemed should be. All attacks against the shield would be thwarted on both sides, but those she chose to walk through could.

She looked the rioters dead in the eyes and shouted! "STOP! What you're doing is WRONG! How can you do this?! How can you try to kill innocent Programs?! Especially ones so young! CHILDREN?! Don't you know that they are a Miracle?! That they're a gift that we only thought Users could have?! They are our future! They are a gift from the Users that created us! How DARE you try and hurt them?!" She roared, her anger clear. "You're going against our very _code_! Killing others will solve _nothing_! Do you want things to be like the MCP?! Do you want to be killed without reason? This is _worse_ than the games! You're acting just like the MCP!" She looked them all in the eye, turning her head to take in the whole crowd, which was slowly building as more and more were pushed out of the village by the village Programs.

"I can't believe you would stoop so low! Please, reason with yourselves! How can you take a life when you fought so hard to keep your own and other's when the MCP ruled? How can you go on with your runtime knowing you were the cause of death by willingly taking a life? Is this what the Users would want of us? Is this what _you_ want? Please! See the light, do not let yourself be taken in by hate and anger. This is _our_ world, a world that should be shared by _all_ Programs, regardless of how they were brought into this world or what code makes them." Her voice turned softer and softer as she spoke, going from an angry yell to a normal volume loud enough for all to hear, sadness and pleading within her tone.

While she spoke, many Programs looked among themselves within the rioting crowd. The shouting on their side slowly stopped, some even took a step closer, meaning to join her side, but, an angry look from the large Program at the head of the group, one with spiky blue hair, and they stepped back in place. They were afraid of him. Moreso than the wrath of the Council, than they own morals, which came to play at Yori's words.

Yori noticed this and continued on, hoping that she would bring them to her side. "Every living being has a right to live, we have held diversity upon this System since it was created, accepting all scripts, Programs, data pushers and more. What is the difference between all of us and these children? They are not Users, they posses code just like we do, they are made of the same things, they simply were not _written_ by Users. If we want to see a bright future for this System then we need to band together! We need to become accepting of _all_ forms of Programs and accept, as Flynn had said, that some things are out of our hands and do not go according to plan. This happens even with Users, we can accept that as it is our normal way of life. How is this different?" Her tone became soft as she finished, then, she straightened and offered a peaceful offer. "If you choose to continue, the guards from the city will surely be here soon to take you to detainment. If you choose to stop this violence and repent your actions, you will not suffer any consequences." While she spoke, a small, chubby, almost bald Program walked over to her side, through her shield, and stood facing the others.

It was unfortunate that she could feel from him that he merely came over out of fear of the Council, but it was someone, nonetheless. She was glad for it.

Then, the blue-haired Program rose his fist in the air and shouted, still facing her. "Are you going to listen to that? When we _know_ that these, _abominations_, exist?!" He barely turned to the Programs behind him, wanting to let Yori know he was defying her and was unafraid, showing to the Programs behind him to also do the same. "They were born unnaturally! Only Users are allowed to write us! They deserve to derez!"

A cheer erupted from behind him as others rose their first in the air. "Do not fear the Council! Surely most of them are on our side!"

By now guards from the city had come and they broke up the shouting Programs and sent them in marching lines toward the city. The blue-haired Program was one of the last to go, staring defiantly at Yori. She had a feeling he held a grudge for her care for the children especially.

As she watched them go, she realized that their form of "jail" was far different then that of the Users, and for this, she was glad. It held no pain nor belittling, they never derezzed anyone, they merely detained them and treated them well until they were no longer a threat.

Finally, the last of them had dispersed and she let down the shield. She slumped on her staff for a moment, supporting that shield had taken a lot out of her. Then, she stood straight and marched into the town. There was work to be done, and families that she cared about that needed consoling.

_A/N: I always thought of her broken cries to Tron not as a broken person, but sounding broken, yet not glitchy. Much like the way the woman sounds in Gareth Emery's song I Will Be the Same at 1:12 in the song._


	6. The Angel in White

_A/N: I have changed the rating of this story to M due to something that happens within this chapter, though it's not graphically described, it is an act of violence I wouldn't feel comfortable with having a teen read._

Chapter 6. The Angel in White

Even with the riot and bomb planted within the town outside the city, the Council only increased guards within the city minimally. The town received the most amount of guards, two on every road, however, it wasn't enough. The Council still believed that there was nothing to worry about and that this would die down and go away. Yori knew better.

At the end of one council meeting, Yori waited for everyone to be gone and went to Dumont who had stayed behind to talk to her. He no longer wore his Council robes and hat, an instead wore his normal robes and cap with blue circuitry. "Oh Dumont." She spoke, sad and worried. "There must be _something_ we can do! Maybe if you spoke with the others they would listen!"

Gently, he took her hands and held them while he spoke to her. "I'm sorry Yori. I can only sway the Council so much. I will speak with them, but beyond that, there's nothing I can do. There's a reason the Council was made the way it is." He looked to her with sad eyes. "I agree with you. We just have to wait."

Yori nodded sadly, looking at their hands. "Thank you." She said sadly. They exchanged a hug, and she left.

YyYy

Soon, rumours of a female Program in white, with very few white circuits showing and no symbol, a cape that reached far below their waist, staff, and mask, appeared within the city to protect Programs who were being attacked for their User interests and children. It was the children she seemed to protect more, and she had quickly gained the nickname "The Angel in White", a User religious being that watched over others. It fit, considering.

No-one suspected who this Program could be, and certainly none of the council could guess that timid, designer-coordinator Program Yori, was her. Tron had taught her how to use the staff to fight after the MCP had been derezzed, a skill she had taken up heartily before putting on the suit. She also practised hand-to-hand combat, and, though she wasn't as good as her Tron, she could finally hold her own against any Program that dared to hurt others. This was a decision she had made with finality after the riot. Tron wasn't here to protect the people, but she _was_. It was time she took up his mantle and protected those he would have.

Yori had no idea that her choice of costume would match that of the Grid's design, though she held no lightlines, only circuitry as the System didn't possess the same coding and features as the Grid. It seemed, her and Tron's destinies were indeed tied… However, he would never see it.

She spent the rest of her free time now devoted to watching the city via her Tron's recorders when she wasn't patrolling the city. She barely drank energy, she rarely slept, and when she did, it was fitful. The picnics were no more, for fear of being out in the open, prime targets for another attack. It was simply too dangerous. She continued to fight the council on the matter, her laws already laid out, she didn't need to worry about crafting new ones. She put her life into protecting the Programs, but all she could do was watch over them.

By the time she would have gotten to wherever the recorders showed her what was happening, it was already too late… They were events that had happened while she was at the council meetings… Work no longer came… Something she was glad for, as she had more time to protect the System, but, she wondered why Lora-Prime had gone dark on her projects. It was something she wondered, but it came so rarely now. As she couldn't be out all the time, and had to know what was going on when she couldn't be there, she watched, most of what she saw and protected the Programs from were attacks formed between one or two offenders, rarely were there more, and they were becoming bolder in their assaults. But she knew, things were going to get worse.

This particular cycle, Yori got up from her couch, a glass energy in her hand, barely touched, her eyes were puffy and tired-looking, she was wearing down. Taking up the pad that would turn on the recordings of when she slept, within her hand, she turned it on and watched.

What she saw horrified her beyond words! There was a mother carrying a newly born bundle within her arms who had just emerged from a slanted building's wall, the doorway apparent only when it slid up for her. She had been in hiding, and why was apparent when she tried desperately to get to where she was going.

Three black-clad Programs with masks over their heads jumped out at her! Two from the alley opening, and one from the ledge on the building to the other side of the alley. The woman froze. Fear evident upon her face. She said something, but the recorder couldn't record sound, only images, and the other three said something back, only apparent by their moving hands.

It happened too quickly, the sound of shattering glass upon the floor as the three attacked the woman and took the wrapped bundle from her arms. They beat the baby until it derezzed within its wrapping! Yori's eyes were wide and full of tears as she found she couldn't look away!

Then, the three advanced on the mother, who had tried desperately to rescue her baby! They ganged up on her and beat her, drawing out her life for what seemed like forever until she too derezzed.

Yori crumpled to her knees on the floor. This was _not_ like Programs! This was like something she had read from horror stories she'd glimpsed at in User files! She couldn't believe what she was seeing! Unable to control her tears any more, she let them flow, sobs wracking her body as she bent over and cried herself dry. She stayed that way for a millicycle or more, wondering how many more had suffered since then, if this was the first attack. One thing was clear, she thought as she straightened and wiped at her tears with her hand, her floor now wet and the recording still playing a now empty alleyway, the council would see this, and then they would _know_, the Programs needed protecting!

YyYy

The next cycle brought everyone to a council meeting, Yori was surprisingly quiet as she sat in her seat, a clear pad in her hand. Once everyone had sat, she stood, fire in her eyes and _threw_ her pad at the centre of the table where it sat perfectly, and shouted! "You wanted to know _why_ I called for protection laws? Here's the reason!" She accused each and every one of them save Dumont, her eyes boring into them all as they turned to the pad which had lit and started to replay the scene she had seen last cycle above it. "I couldn't get to them in time!"

Everyone in the room watched with wide eyes, some gasped, others covered their mouths, still more held tears in their eyes. Everyone was moved, and Yori sat down, and stated clearly. "The guards in the city aren't enough! We _need_ laws to protect Programs like this!" Her eyes fell on every one of them, they all looked guilty save Dumont, who looked upon her with pride. Seeing her protect the people and voice her opinions so strongly showed her true strength, she had become so much more than that sweet and innocent Program who spoke her mind and held no fear he had first met so long ago.

The Council looked among themselves and immediately made a unanimous decision. Yori's laws for Programs with children and who studied the Users were to be passed and more guards were to be positioned throughout the city at once.

YyYy

The cycles passed, and Yori seemed to return to her duties on the council with as much energy as she had given before, which was a lot easier for her as the Council now viewed her with respect and awe, as it was clear that she was "The Angel in White" and had taken up Tron's duties in watching over the System. Things also seemed to calm down within the city. The guards had surely helped, but, the laws had brought the rioters down vastly, as no-one wanted to go against the Council, especially now with the information out on who "The Angel in White" was.

Things stayed about the same for quite some time after that. Yori continued to protect the Programs, though she no longer wore her mask, the protesters became less and less, though there was never a shortage of them, and Lora-Prime stopped contacting her altogether.

Things became a time of peace within the System again, but it was to be short-lived, as a deep feeling of dread washed over every Program one cycle. They didn't know when it would happen, just that it was coming.


	7. The End

Chapter 7: The End

One cycle during a council meeting, every Program stood and stared as the worst feeling the System could output threaded through them. The Council members that could see all turned to stare out the widow at the end of the hallway through the door.

The end was coming.

They didn't know when, but it was coming.

Immediately the room erupted into chaos! The council members save Yori and Dumont all ran about and declared immediate lockdown of the fortress! They decided that they would survive within it, and, being as there were far too many Programs within in the System to host there, no-one else was allowed in.

Yori stood slowly after the initial shock wore off then ran for the window and jumped out! Feeling the wind against her skin was exhilarating as she fell! She landed on the "grass" below and stood, looking up, passed the clouds to the "roof" of their world. Her mind went blank, peaceful, as she enjoyed the light of the System, her home, drank in the sight of it, it would be her last time. Her eyes closed and she just "felt" the System, the feeling it had always resonated within its residents, and calmed herself, allowing her breathing to become slow as she savoured this precious moment.

She let her anger for the Council's uncaring of other's lives and their cowardice wash away from her while se stood within her "field of green" as it was fondly called. They were frightened, she understood this, it wasn't their fault, and she couldn't fault them for it. But, she knew, hiding away would not spare them. When the format came, all would be lost. It seemed appropriate anyway, as most of them never left the fortress.

Slowly opening her eyes, they were glazed as she hazily took in her surroundings, all they had created, all of the lives here, would soon be gone. In the distance she could make out the trees that she and her co-workers had created, and beyond that, the small village that she and them and the architectural Programs had created, the first born's house at the forefront.

Then, a familiar feeling washed over her as someone approached and Dumont's voice rang through the air softly. "Yori, come back to the fortress, where you can be safe." His love for her shining though his voice, and his worry. He cared about her so much he wanted to see her safe above everyone else in the System, but it wasn't something she could do.

Without turning to him, she continued to look peacefully out at the small town and spoke softly. "You're free to go back to the fortress to be safe if you wish. But I'm not leaving." Her last was resolute, she was _going_ to stay and protect the people, it was something she could _never_ back away from. But she felt the same way he felt about her, she wanted him to stay alive, so, if he had a chance in the fortress, she would rather he went back to it.

Dumont sighed with a smile and shook his head. "If you're staying, then I am too."

Yori smiled and turned back to look at him then. He wore his normal, small cap upon his head and his regular guardian robes, all with blue circuitry. He smiled at her, though his eyes were sad. There was surely nothing that could stop what was to come. She was about to step forward and take his hands within hers comfortingly, but the whole ground shook beneath her feet! Her eyes flew wide as she fought to keep her balance, Dumont fared no better, though they both remained standing after it was over.

Suddenly, they could feel it! The System had become unstable! Yori turned back to the city in a flash and instantly saw the white wall of light as it started at the end of the System and slowly worked its way towards the city!

She ran.

The town and city were far too far away to reach! She only made it halfway through her field, staff in hand, when the first Programs started toward her! The very first being the first born as he ran to her, he only looked 9 User years old by this time. He was frightened and she dropped to her knees, arms open wide, her staff falling to the ground. She pulled him in close, kissing his brown hair, a hand upon his head as she whispered to him. "It's ok. Everything's going to be ok. Stay close."

His mother was running toward them and had reached them by this time. As the User Curious had adopted more User-style clothing, the mother wore a white apron, green shirt and blue skirt, her long black hair trailing behind her, holding her little girl's hand who looked about 3 User years of age. The mother looked happy with Yori's reaction, however, she was still worried. Seeing this, Yori stood and picked up her staff, gesturing for her and her daughter to come closer, having made a split-nano decision. Here. Here would be where the final moments would be, where any Program that could make it could be spared however long she could hold the white wall of formatting at bay. "Come closer." She said. "If you huddle close, I can protect you and many more if they come."

She knew it was useless, but she _had_ to try! She had to do _everything_ in her power to protect these people! Give them any moments more of life that she could offer, of peace and hope, to take away their fear! If she didn't, she wouldn't be able to live with herself in her last moments, nor in whatever afterlife greeted her! She simply couldn't _bear_ the idea!

As she waited more Programs ran to them, yet there were so few in comparison to how many were within the System! She watched, horrified, unable to look away, as the white wall hit the city! She could hear the screams in the distance, see the pieces of buildings being torn away and up, into the white wall, where they crumpled to nothing altogether. She felt it was her duty to at least be there for them in this way as she wondered how many Programs were in those buildings, how many were flung into the wall from the streets, how many were huddling, alone and scared as the wall came for them.

These things gripped her heart in fear unlike any other. She wanted, no, _needed_ to protect them! Yet, if she were even to spare a few, she had to stay where she was and wait for them to come to her. This was something that she was certain would stay with her soul. A fear of others being alone and afraid and unable to protect themselves, and she couldn't be there to help.

As she looked on, she realized that the System knew light like it had never seen before! The blackness that had filled the sky was now filled with light, and the casing of their world was now fully visible! It flashed with living circuitry that ran along what looked like an uneven motherboard in a dome-like shape.

Finally, the last Program ran from the town into the group and Yori hesitated. If even _one_ Program could make it, she had to leave them the chance! Once she put her shield up, the type she had to use wouldn't allow for her to alter it to let anyone in or out! But, as the white wall of destruction came closer, she realized she had to make a decision.

It was almost too late when she slammed her staff down, her clear blue energy shield rezzing around the small group, just covering them to give her more energy to hold the wall longer. But she did it just in time and waited for the wall to hit.

When it did, it hit her like a light train! Her energy instantly dropped and she swayed, almost losing control! But she held herself fast and screwed up her face in concentration to hold it off. As she held it, keeping her energy flowing, she started to calm, though her thoughts tumbled to those huddled around her. She looked down to her right and saw Dumont holding the first born's sister. Just now she noticed the little girl had her black hair up in pigtails, held on with tiny blue bows with white dots, she wore a dress to match and looked scared. Yori smiled down to her and said. "Everything will be alright." With the most loving and comforting voice and look in her eyes she ever had. Off to the side she noticed the mother holding her son tight, and offered her a comforting smile as well.

That's when she noticed her hands, they had started to become see-through, outlined in gold! No longer was her skin nor even bones present, they were like ghosts of energy as her shield sapped her energy!

Turning back to face the wall, she knew the entire System had been formatted now, save them, and instantly her mind became flooded with determination and fear! Fear is what kept her going, is what made her hold her shield in place! Fear for the Programs she was protecting, thoughts of them dying, her unable to protect them, _knowing_ they _counted_ on her, she _couldn't_ let them down! She _had_ to do everything she could to keep them alive, for as long as possible!

Doubling her efforts, she put as much energy into her shield as she dared and stood strong! But even then, her thoughts turned inward, back, to her Tron, her bondmate, and tears pricked her eyes. She started thinking a message to him, though she knew it wouldn't get through. She poured her heart and soul into her thoughts.

_I'm so sorry I won't be here when you arrive! I'm so sorry you will never see what we've done with this world, the beauty of it! That I'll never be able to show you all that we have accomplished! I'm so, so sorry you will never see the children! Our little miracles that were bestowed upon us! That we won't be able to have a little boy of our own! I'm **so**, **so** sorry that I wasn't able to **wait** for you! That you will find **nothing**._ She spat that word, knowing how much that would be true, so like he had feared when captured by the MCP. _That I… Had died._ She finished, all the while her heart and mind were screaming behind those thoughts, over and over again. _I love you! _A mantra she kept up even as she knew she couldn't hold on anymore and closed her eyes.

And all she knew was white.

YyYy

They didn't know how long they were in stasis, the world frozen in time at the very last nano until finally, they came to in a very dark room. It seemed like it happened in a blink, as when in stasis, Programs are not aware of time, it's just, before stasis and after stasis, it's as though time has been paused and started again.

The room was full of boxes, and to their right, facing the door to the front, or, bottom of the room, there was a wall with small windows lining the top, all painted black. The reason for them being there was near the door, Lora's laser had somehow been moved and compacted to fit within it! Some Users must have stolen the server they were on and transported it here! Somehow they must have connected it to another HD or server to use Lora-Prime's technology and algorithms as well as the ones Yori shared with her to materialize them here!

They looked at themselves, immediately feeling the difference in this world. They were all in User-style clothing and held no circuitry upon them whatsoever and Yori's arms were miraculously whole. She looked at them in wonder, questions running through her mind as to why.

The feeling of the world seemed darker to them, but Yori recognized it, what she didn't recognize were the feelings coming off of the Users nearing the room! They all felt it! It was _horrible_! Like they didn't see the Programs as people, their intents, to use them in experiments, slaves, that they would do unspeakable things to them! It made them _sick_, a feeling they'd never had before as their stomachs literally hurt.

They all turned to each other, the Programs with them that had been with the rioters now realized how it felt like to be viewed the way they viewed the children, and made the unanimous decision not to tell them about their ability to "feel" and to hide the children. Yori explained to them that they were human now, so they should not mention their world as well and they should be safe. It didn't stop their fear nor worry.

Quickly, Yori and the first born's mother gathered the three children that had escaped the System's format with them and hide them well at the back of the room, behind the boxes. "Shh. Don't come out until we say it's alright, and don't move." Yori told them. "If we're not here when the others escape, go to Lora-Prime and Alan-One. Lora-Prime looks just like me, and Alan-One looks like Tron. Remember when I showed you my memories of him?" She smiled at them. They nodded, and the two women turned to each other, nodded, and headed back into the main part of the room, just as the Users that had kidnapped them entered.

One of the Users wore a long white coat with large gloves over his hands and knee-high boots upon his feet. She had the worst feeling from him.

Dumont walked up to them, unafraid, and stood in front of all the Programs in the room, protecting them and as the head of the Council. He glared at them and spoke, his hands moving with his words. "Let us go! You have _no_ right to keep us here!"

"Shut up!" One of the men with long guns spoke and shot him. "And that goes for the rest of you!" He glared into the room at the Programs.

Dumont stumbled back into the room and fell against the left wall. (The right wall to the Users). "Dumont!" Yori had just walked out from the boxes and ran to him, kneeling by his side, tears forming in her eyes.

The mother stormed up to the Users and shouted at them, told them who they thought they were killing someone! But they shot her two, three times, and she died before hitting the ground.

Dumont however held on longer, his breath raspy and shallow as Yori held her hand over his wound upon his stomach. She cried over him. "Don't die! You can't leave me!" She cried, he was her family! _He doesn't deserve to **die** this way! He should be at **home**, where he would derez without suffering these effects, where he would disappear in a puff of light and fade away normally! Not like this, not like this…_ She lamented within her mind. _Leaving behind a lifeless body that is all too eerie to comprehend._

He took in a raspy breath, held her hand and said. "It's alright. Yori. It'll be alright. Live. Find Tron. Protect, the people. They need you now…" He breathed in shakily. "I love you." He smiled, though she could tell he was afraid, and his eyes looked clouded. He died at that moment.

Yori cried harder still, now bent completely over him, she still held his now cooling hand. She felt when he went, and now felt an empty hole within her hear that she didn't think she would ever feel. It was just so _wrong_!

Gathering herself, she stopped crying and stood, the Users were now looking carefully at all of the Programs, and Yori came forward. Now the head of the Council, she was the last remaining leader of her people. It was her duty to protect them, and, she would. She stood before the Users and spoke in a commanding voice. "How you brought us here doesn't matter, we are _people_! And deserve to live and be free from oppression! How _dare_ you hold us against our will! Once ENCOM and the authorities find out about this your plan will fall through! It's only a matter of time! Let us go!"

This only seemed to enrage the Users, but one man reached out and put his hand on the gun that was about to be raised by another. He walked up to her, and slapped her across the cheek then shoved her into the room! "How dare you defy us!" He shouted at her, his eyes leering. He stood straight and motioned with one hand for another User to come forward, then he pointed to a random Program.

The other User nodded and quickly grabbed up the Program, putting his gun to his back as they led him through the door. The rest of the Users dispersed with them and Yori was left in the centre of the room downtrodden. There was nothing she could do to protect her people, but she would still try! She wouldn't give up! She held no weapons, her staff was no longer with her and anyone who had a disk, had no way of accessing it in this world. But she could fight! She had her will and her abilities. She wouldn't let Dumont or these people down!

They waited for what seemed like ages, until, finally, muffled shouting came from behind the door, slowly growing in intensity, until the door opened. The male Program was shoved in, the doctor close behind shouting. "HE'S ONLY _HUMAN_!" Clearly distraught. The Programs could feel that he had wished for a scientific breakthrough, something alien to work on, something he would never get the chance to do in his lifetime. He wanted beings who wouldn't be under human law. He wanted a _specimen_.

Now, with the hope of the authorities protecting them, Yori stood up and tried to fight her way through the Users that now lined the door! "There's no reason to keep us now! Let us go!" She shouted, but was stopped by one man in particular, the one who had slapped her. He leered at her and she felt his intent. It made her stomach want to wretch. He wanted her for himself, to do unspeakable things to, as a slave. "You look so much like her." He spoke seductively. "Lora was the one I wanted, but you will have to do."

Yori stopped, reeled back and slapped him! "How _dare_ you! How dare you assume I would be free! I'm taken! And I would _never_ be with someone like you!" Fire was in her eyes as she spoke, her will as iron as ever.

Then, suddenly, there was a loud shot and she stumbled back. Looking down, she put her hand over her stomach… And it came away red. Her eyes went wide as a dizziness washed over her and she stumbled into the hallway.

Deep within the hallway to her right she could hear running footsteps and shouts! She knew, their Users were coming to save them! She smiled and fell to the ground.

The evil Users had all dispersed, most of them apprehended by cops as Lora and Alan came running to her side! Alan bent over her as she lay on her back on the hallway floor, and hazily, she thought he was Tron. She could barely see, it was so foggy, and tried to reach out to him. He was crying and gingerly motioning over her body, but, she couldn't tell if he had touched her. She felt so calm… So… **Tired**. _So this is what it's like to die a User death._ She thought as the commotion increased around her.

Her User bent over her other side, but she only had eyes for who she thought was Tron. Though… She felt a familial love from him, and an acceptance. Not like her Tron… Alan had certainly changed in the time since meeting her. She tried to reach up to cup his face, but she found she didn't have the strength to lift her arms. He took her right hand instead, the side he was on, and talked to her, tears streaming down his face.

He was speaking to her, though she could barely make out the words… They sounded like. "I'm sorry, so sorry." As he tried to stop the blood.

Lora spoke as well, hovering over her as tears fell from her eyes. "I'm so sorry! They formatted the server without telling us! Then it was stolen! I'm so sorry!"

Yori tried to smile and tell them it was ok, they hadn't failed her, they were here now, and to take care of the children, but, she didn't know how much of it passed her lips. Her voice felt hoarse and weak.

It happened all too quickly. Her eyes shut, and suddenly, she was floating over them, watching over the scene. She felt sad that she had died, and would never see her Tron again, but, she still had to make sure the children were alright.

She floated after them, as the children were revealed, and Alan and Lora's eyes widened and held them close. She followed them as her and Tron's Users took the children to their house, and then… Sought her Tron's feeling… She followed it through the city, to Flynn's Arcade, where she found a large, black computer hidden away. _No wonder I couldn't find it._ She smiled sadly. _And I had passed here so many times…_ She found she couldn't enter the System, so she left, feeling, at least, that her Tron was alright. A tugging that she had been fighting pulled her upward, and she followed it, high into the sky.

YyYy

She didn't know how she got there, but she soon found herself on top of a cloud, a large city in the distance, the sky above dark. She could feel from this city that it hosted all kinds of life, and they all held a purpose, none went bored or feeling unneeded.

Smiling, she looked on, when suddenly a male voice came from her left. "I created it for them." He said and she could feel that he meant Programs. She turned to him then and noticed he was an old man with white hair, though he didn't look like Dumont.

"Who are you?" She questioned, though she felt from him this incredible love and peace, a goodness like none she had felt before.

He answered. "I am God. Will you follow me?"

Somehow she understood that to mean spiritually, not physically, and she nodded without thinking. "Yes." She felt instantly trusting of this man, and, from his name, she felt he was the creator of all things. She knew she would, without question as she also felt a daughterly for him.

He smiled.

"Am I to go there?" She asked, curiously, pointing to the city.

He shook his head. "No. I am not yet done with you. There is still work for you to do, if you're willing. You will need to go back."

She looked at him surprised, but found she could accept his offer, even if she would not see her Tron. She had a purpose, that's what all Programs need. She wondered where she would end up. "I am willing." She answered.

"Good. I will help you along the way, you won't be alone. And remember. I love you." He said with a smile and kind, fatherly eyes, and suddenly she was in the User world, tiny, and crying in a hospital room.

_A/N: I completely forgot to write this in! The babies were born completely naked, no suit or cap, they had hair and had no circuitry upon their skin save their symbol upon their chest, wherever it it lay, low or high or middle. They possessed no ability to create a suit until after they were born. Hence why we see very few Programs with circuitry on their skin, it was a choice, but usually saved for their suit, which, normal Programs are born with. I believe the babies received their suits or User-like clothing, (depended on the parents or children when they were old enough), when their parents were able to create them for them, until they were old enough to do it themselves._

_Sorry if the end is offensive. It was just a dream, but I admit it -did- disturb me greatly, especially when the mother and child were beaten._

_I have updated most of the chapters with parts of dreams I had remembered. Just in case you wanted to re-read them!_

_Also! I have never felt a connection with a person in a dream as I did when Yori protected the Programs from the format! I usually am with them, helping them make decisions, having their thoughts, but this time, we both had the same thoughts! Exactly the same! I didn't have to help her make the right decision, or pull her in another thought direction, this was SO different! When I woke up, I felt so happy with our decisions and how it went! That dream ended with the flash of light, so I thought she'd died, the other dream came later!_


End file.
